Elastic attachment for vise jaws



H. P. FEST ELASTIC ATTACHMENT FOR VISE JAWS Feb. 1, 1944.

Filed NOV. 3, 1941 HERMAN .2 F55 INVENTORi xirroxewsv.

Patented Feb. 1, 1944- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ELASTIC ATTACHMENT FOR VISE JAWS Herman P. Fest, Los Angeles, Calif. Application November 3, 1941 Serial No. II-7,715

2 Claims.

This invention relates to attachments for vise jaws and more particularly to an elastic attachment such as a rubber sleeve or the like.

Among the objects of the invention are: to provide an elastic sleeve which, upon application to each jaw portion of the vise, will protect the shape and finished surfaces of articles gripped between them; to provide in an attachment for vise jaws a resilient sleeve adapted to snugly grip jaws of Vises not conforming exactly to standard dimensions; to provide a vise sleeve which, upon application, will yield to irregularities in the vise due both to variations in size as well as inaccuracy in workmanship; to provide means yieldably applicable to the jaws of a vise which will conform to the shape of articles gripped; and, to provide a vise jaw attachment gripping by its inherent resiliency, which is more simple to construct, easier to apply, cheaper to manufacture and better adapted to meet the requirements for which it is intended.

Other objects, features and advantages of construction will hereinafter appear.

Referring to the accompanying drawing wherein are shown generic embodiments of the invention,

Fig. l is a perspective view of the device applied to the jaws of a vise,

Fig. 2 is a perspective view per se of the attachment shown applied in Fig. 1 on a larger scale.

Fig. 3 is a section taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2,

Fig. 4 is a perspective view similar to that shown in Fig. 1 illustrating a modified form of the device,

Fig. 5 is a perspective view per se of the attachment shown applied in Fig. 4, but on a larger scale,

Fig. 6 is a section taken on line 6-5 of Fig. 5,

Fig. '7 is a perspective view per se of the yieldabie gripping bar shown in Fig. 5 on a somewhat larger scale. The dotted indication in the former view illustrates the manner of turning the ends inwardly after the bar has been applied to the attachment, and

Fig. 8 is a perspective view on a smaller scale of the extruded parent strip from which the attachments shown in Fig. 5 are cut to the exact lengths needed.

Referring in detail to the drawing and first to the embodiment illustrated in Figs. 1-3, the numeral 9 indicates the vertical gripping wall or face of the juxtaposed sleeves between which the articles are gripped, l0 and II the vertical end walls united to the outer edge portions of said gripping wall, and 12 the archedtop wall united to the upper edge portions of said gripping wall and said end walls, said sleeve being preferably constructed of resilient material consisting of rubber which is sufficiently pliableto conform itself to objects of various shapes other than those with flat surfaces, gripped between them.

The arched wall [-2 gradually dips from the horizontal as it leaves the Wall 9, and where said Wall i2 intersects with each end wall thereare formed the curved intersections i3 and [-4, thus leaving open the sides of the substantial box formation which are opposite the walls 9 and [2. It is through these open sides that the jaws are introduced when the sleeves are applied to the vise. as shown in Fig. I.

The base edges of each of the walls Q, Hi and H lie in the same horizontal plane, the side edges of each of the three Walls are verticaland a right angle in plan is formed where each vertical end wall intersects with the vertical gripping wall. Thus itwill'i be seerra line joining the lower front corner with the upper rear corner of the end wall will indicate the formation of a pliable flap H3 at each end of the sleeve adapted to be gripped by the fingers of the hands and laterally flexed outwardly whereby to feed the jaw of the vise into the sleeve through the open sides as described. Upon manual release of the outsprung flaps they resiliently fly back to their normal positions firmly gripping the sides of the jaw between them.

In the form of the sleeve attachment shown in Figs. 443 the same generic principles as those already described are incorporated in the modified showing.

For example the arched wall I2a of Fig. 5 is similar to the arched top wall l2 of Fig. 2. The vertical gripping wall or face 90. of the sleeve is similar to the wall t of Fig. 2', and for this reason said walls are numbered the same with alphabetical additions. The resilient means for gripping the sides of the vise jaws which correspond to the flexible flaps l8 consists of a gripping bar [9 of half hard bendable spring material (see Fig. 7) which is projected through the opening 20 provided therefor in the extruded material forming the sleeve after the same has been cut to the exact length from the parent stock piece 21 shown in Fig. 8, to suit the particular jaw to which it is subsequently to be applied. After the bar has been inserted in the opening 2i] the protruding ends 22 and 23 are then bent at less than a right angle to the bar, as dottedly indicated in Fig. 7. The fingers of the hands spring the yieldable wings 22 and 23 outwardly as shown, in the direction which the arrows point in Fig. 7, whereupon the sleeve may be slipped over the sides of each jaw of the vise 24, as operatively shown in Fig. 4, firmly gripping each sleeve to the jaw to which it is applied in a manner like that already described with regard to the sleeves shown in Figs. 1-3.

In the manufacture of the device a parent strip 2| of rubber, angular in cross section is extruded from a suitable die while in a plastic condition, the slit or passage 20 being at the same time formed bythe die. Thereafter said parent strip is cut into the proper lengths preparatory to inserting and bending the metal striprl 9 in the manner already stated.

It will be seen from the constructions just described that, when the sleeves are applied to each jaw of the vise l9 and 24 as shown in Figs. l. and 4, there are no difiering rights or lefts but one shape serves the purposes of a sleeve for each Jaw.

It will also be seen that, owing to the flexibility of the material in general, as well as at the juncture of the gripping wall '9 and arched wall 12 (and/or 911 and lZa, Fig. 6), said arched Wall will conform closely to considerable variation in the contour of the top surface of the vise.

V It shouldbe understood that the present disclosure is for the purpose of illustration only and that this invention includes all modifications and equivalents which fall within the scope of the subject matter claimed.

W What is claimed is:

1 An elastic vise sleeve comprising an arched top wall to overlie the top surface of a vise jaw, a wall depending downwardly from that long edge of said top wall which is located nearest the gripping face of such jaw when said sleeve is applied,- said gripping wall joining an edge portion or said arched wall at an acute angle, the inherent elasticity of said walls along the line of their juncture tending to inspring said walls to a vise gripping position, and an elastic end wall at each end of the sleeve, to grip the end walls of said vise jaw, said end walls being continuous both with said arcuate wall and said dependent wall and having corner portions out-springable by the fingers of the hand along a ine of flexure joining the lower front corner with the upper rear corner of the end wall to apply the sleeve to the vise jaw and respringable into a gripping relation therewith when released.

2. An elastic sleeve for vise jaws comprising, a vertical gripping wall, vertical end walls united to the outer edge portions of said gripping wall, an arched top wall united to the upper edge portion of said gripping wall and to the upper edge portion of said end walls, said arched Wall gradually dipping from the horizontal as it leaves said gripping wall thereby providing for a suction grip of the sleeve upon the vise jaw to which it is applicable, there being formed curved intersections where said arched wall intersects and is joined with each end wall leaving open the sides of the substantial box formation which are opposite said gripping wall and opposite said arched Wall wherethrough the jaw of a vise is introduced when the sleeve is applied thereto, the base edges of each of said gripping wall and said end Walls lying in the same horizontal plane and forming a right angle in plan Where the side edge of each vertical end wall intersects with said gripping wall, there being formed a vertical right angle in a plane parallel to the gripping wall where the vertical free edge portion of each of said end walls intersects with the horizontal free edge of said arched wall, and a pliable flap at each end of the sleeve, the line of flexion being approximately defined by a line joining the lower front corner with the upper rear corner of the end wall, said flaps being grippable by the fingers of the hands and laterally flexible outwardly to feed the jaw of the vise into the sleeve through said open sides.

HERMAN P. FEST. 

